I've looked at this a few times and, although to my mind it should never be a penalty, sadly, in this day and age, this type of incident is.....every time. O'Kane makes it easy for the ref to give by stepping across the blunt and impeding his run. Most of the time nowadays, if the attacking player drops his shin slightly into the defender's leg to make contact then the official will give it. It sucks but there you have it.

It's even worse outfield. Two players going for a ball. One decides that instead of going for the ball, he'll put his leg between the opponent and the ball. For me, the player going for the ball shouldn't get a card, or have a foul against him. He should get a free-kick because the other player didn't go for the ball, and deliberately caused the foul. So he deliberately went for the man, not the ball. Happens all the time. That's why I rarely watch Premier league games any more.

I've looked at this a few times and, although to my mind it should never be a penalty, sadly, in this day and age, this type of incident is.....every time. O'Kane makes it easy for the ref to give by stepping across the blunt and impeding his run. Most of the time nowadays, if the attacking player drops his shin slightly into the defender's leg to make contact then the official will give it. It sucks but there you have it.

You're right Durly but it's such a shame the authorities and fans are so accepting of the modern cheat. He was clever O'Kane was naive. He got his tactic spot on for the modern cheat, going down did just enough to put his leg into O'Kanes got what he probably trains for. Authorities need to start banning them for 5 games it needs stopping.

You're right Durly but it's such a shame the authorities and fans are so accepting of the modern cheat. He was clever O'Kane was naive. He got his tactic spot on for the modern cheat, going down did just enough to put his leg into O'Kanes got what he probably trains for. Authorities need to start banning them for 5 games it needs stopping.

You're right Durly but it's such a shame the authorities and fans are so accepting of the modern cheat. He was clever O'Kane was naive. He got his tactic spot on for the modern cheat, going down did just enough to put his leg into O'Kanes got what he probably trains for. Authorities need to start banning them for 5 games it needs stopping.

I don't disagree mate. The problem is that the modern cheat has sussed that the referee, seeing contact in real time will more than likely give it. I agree, I'd ban the cheating gits for several games but the bans wouldn't stop the penalty decisions being made at the time. Might make 'em think twice though.
The first one of these I can remember was Seaman on Batistuta in the WC 1998. Seaman comes sliding out for the ball and Bati just drops his shin into the oncoming keeper. As I say, you can see it's cheating on the replays but the ref has to give a decision in real time and sees contact......

I've looked at this a few times and, although to my mind it should never be a penalty, sadly, in this day and age, this type of incident is.....every time. O'Kane makes it easy for the ref to give by stepping across the blunt and impeding his run. Most of the time nowadays, if the attacking player drops his shin slightly into the defender's leg to make contact then the official will give it. It sucks but there you have it.

Spot on. The defensive player ends up just being near, you can't simply disappear, and the attacking player is the one who initiates the contact by moving into the defensive player but because they are the one with momentum it looks like they have been fouled.

The only way to eradicate it is to give the cheat at least a five match ban so that they don't do it. A booking or retrospective 1 match ban is no punishment as the player has won the match for his team.

You're right Durly but it's such a shame the authorities and fans are so accepting of the modern cheat. He was clever O'Kane was naive. He got his tactic spot on for the modern cheat, going down did just enough to put his leg into O'Kanes got what he probably trains for. Authorities need to start banning them for 5 games it needs stopping.

There is a solution. Every pen decision reviewed after game

Considered to have dived - 1 game suspension, second offence 3 game suspension, 3rd offence - 6 game suspension.

Now defining a dive is trickier, players lose balance sometimes, contact is made and then you're working out if said contact was enough to drop player. We could end up with a rule as ambiguous as the catch rule in the NFL. What defines a catch.

As it was I said pen at the time, I can't fault the ref for calling it on the field.

Video refereeing may help. If you go with crickets, footballs and I think rugby's version then a soft call at the time followed by a challenge from the touchline (Otherwise you're reviewing everything) then was there enough evidence in that case to over turn the decision?

Where it would have worked in our favour was if we challenged the handball. Clearly arm to ball to affect a change in direction. Penalty every time

I don't disagree mate. The problem is that the modern cheat has sussed that the referee, seeing contact in real time will more than likely give it. I agree, I'd ban the cheating gits for several games but the bans wouldn't stop the penalty decisions being made at the time. Might make 'em think twice though.
The first one of these I can remember was Seaman on Batistuta in the WC 1998. Seaman comes sliding out for the ball and Bati just drops his shin into the oncoming keeper. As I say, you can see it's cheating on the replays but the ref has to give a decision in real time and sees contact......

Not blaming the ref at all, such a difficult job in these circumstances but a ban big fine and even a points deduction would stop it.

Considered to have dived - 1 game suspension, second offence 3 game suspension, 3rd offence - 6 game suspension.

Now defining a dive is trickier, players lose balance sometimes, contact is made and then you're working out if said contact was enough to drop player. We could end up with a rule as ambiguous as the catch rule in the NFL. What defines a catch.

As it was I said pen at the time, I can't fault the ref for calling it on the field.

Video refereeing may help. If you go with crickets, footballs and I think rugby's version then a soft call at the time followed by a challenge from the touchline (Otherwise you're reviewing everything) then was there enough evidence in that case to over turn the decision?

Where it would have worked in our favour was if we challenged the handball. Clearly arm to ball to affect a change in direction. Penalty every time